Indian Hotels Face a New Competitor: The Food Delivery App
Photo Credit: Representational image of room service at hotel. Pexels / cottonbro studio
Skift Take
F&B is a major revenue driver for hotels. But it is likely that the boom from banqueting is overshadowing how room guests are no longer willing to pay through their nose when options are just a click away.
Food has always been central to how Indians travel. Hotels acknowledge this reality, having added food-and-beverage (F&B) concepts, celebrity chef tie-ups, and destination dining to drive guest satisfaction and margins. But the rise of food delivery and quick commerce apps is challenging long-held assumptions about how, when, and where hotel guests want to eat.
While hotel companies report strong F&B growth on earnings calls, a growing list of evidence on social media suggests that guests are increasingly bypassing hotel kitchens altogether, especially for convenience, late-night meals, or better-priced local options.
A cursory scan of Reddit, X, and travel forums surfaces recurring questions. On the Ask India sub-Reddit last year, one business traveler asked whether it was acceptable to order from Indian food delivery apps Swiggy or Zomato while staying at a three-star hotel with breakfast included.
More recently, X user Rishabh Mukherjee des
